Christmas in the m&m Winter Wonderland
by vexus01
Summary: Series of Christmas dl drabbles. Fluff all the way here folks!
1. Window Shopping

Part 1: Window Shopping 

Gazing at in the window at Tiffany's, her face lit up with a sense of awe and astonishment. The cashmere sweater called out her name and the vision of the soft, warm, material made her cheeks pink and rosy. She always loved the color of red.

The lights in the display window sent off signaling the end of a productive day. She frowned, knowing that she didn't have the money to afford such an elective luxury.

Money had been tight this Christmas and wanting the sweater was a wasted thought. It didn't pay the bills.

She walked away towards the subway, having forgotten the sweater temporarily. 

It was Christmas Eve and she was leaving entering her office when she noticed a red shiny package sitting on her desk. It has a green velvet bow on it.

Looking around to see if anybody was watching, she opened the package with delight; reminiscing Christmas morning as a child.

The box was baby blue; the color of Tiffany's. She gingerly lifted the ornate lid of the box and opened up the tissue paper.

It was the cashmere sweater.

She lifted the sweater out of the box and hugged it to her small frame. As she did this, a note fell on the floor.

As she opened and started to read, a tear fell from her brown eyes.

It read:

_Everytime I see you, you take my breath away_

_You pass there every single night_

_And I want you to know_

_That the world belongs to you Montana, _

_The Window Shopper Girl_

Love Danny.


	2. Mistletoe Mayhem

Part 2: Mistletoe Mayhem

It was that time of the year again; the annual Christmas party. Since the crime lab was cutting back this year, they decided to have the party at the lab. Stella and Peyton had been charge of all the decorations and they tried to wrangle the men to help them out but it was useless.

The party began at 8:00 and guests were mingling in. Mac arrived with Stella and it was apparent that nobody knew that these two were together. It was discovered later on that night that they had been secretly dating for 7 months.

Lindsay had arrived before Stella and Mac. She watched them arrive, a small smile crept up on her face. in her own apparent woman's intuition, she knew that they were an item. Mac was such a private person so it was proper that they come out this way. 

She was still thinking about Stella when a pair of warm hands came up and covered her eyes.

"Guess who?"

"Hmmm, let me think,"Lindsay said, in a joking tone. "Danny?"

"You got it! How's Montana doing tonight?"

"I'm great."

Danny reached out and took her hand. "Linds, let's go and take a walk."

They snuck out of the side entrance and walked the back hallways of the crime lab. The clicks of their heels were the only sounds heard.

"I just wanted to be alone with you for awhile, Lindsay." Danny said, smiling at her.

"Danny..." Lindsay said and started to protest but was stopped when he put his finger on her lips.

"Shh," Danny said "Just let me show you how I feel about you please?"

He led to the broom closet at the end of the hallway. He backed up against the door and while still holding her hand, told her to close her eyes.

"Don't peek okay?"

"I won't, I won't"

He pulled back the door and told her to look up.

"Oh that's cute Messer, how did you pull that off. Won't people be looking for that."?

"They'll get over it."

It was mistletoe and it was hanging from the broom closet door frame. 

"You're amazing, Danny, just amazing."

He walked over to her and grabbed her into an embrace. They both looked up the mistletoe, moved closer together and kissed for the first time.

"I think another one of those, Danny."

"You wish is my command." Danny said, but reached for her again but not before he shut the door, leaving them to their moment of perfect bliss and contentment. 

Sheldon was looking at one of the doorways when Stella walked up to him.

"Hawkes, what are you doing?"

"Where's the mistletoe?"


	3. Angels in Brooklyn

part 3...

Angels of Brooklyn

The coldest day of winter had hit New York City like a train wreck. Cars were stalled and everybody was bundled up to protect them from the cold, harsh air.

Lindsay were sitting in the living room of Danny's' apartment cuddled up next to each other. This was the first time this afternoon that they were cuddled with their clothes on.

"Hey Linds, ya hungry?"

"Sure."

Lindsay scooted off the couch and went over to the refrigerator by the window. She was looking at the menus that he on a magnet when she noticed some commotion below on the street.

Even though the window was closed, she heard shouting. What she could hear was that there were some children who were outside near a store-front. She could see the store owner yelling at the children. They were begging for food and he told them if they didn't leave, they were going to be arrested. 

It broke her heart.

She came from a big family and nobody did without. Even though there were times that the family scraped by barely, they always had food on the table.

Lindsay had a thought and a plan. A well devised plan. Biting her lower lip, she went over to the couch and curled up against Danny again. 

"Danny, let's go out for dinner for this Christmas Eve?"

Danny started to whine which make him more adorable than he already was. "Baby, it's cold out there!"

"I know, but I have somewhere special I want to take you."

"Okay." Danny said gloomily.

30 minutes later, bundled up and warm, they walked the streets in Brooklyn. Lindsay led him past all the restaurants.

"Montana, I'm starving here!"

"We are almost there."

Lindsay and Danny walked a good 50 feet when she suddenly stopped.

They stopped in front of St. Andrews Catholic Church.

"Why are we here?"

"Well, Danny I knew that there was feed the homeless dinner here tonight and I had been thinking for a long time of helping out here. When I saw some kids outside your window begging for food, I just wanted to help out more. I hope you didn't mind; we can get some food later."

"Don't worry about it, Montana," Danny said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm not hungry at all."

They walked arm and arm into the church and witnessed the families lined up to get food. Meeting with the priest, they were handed aprons and began to dish out food for the less fortunate.

Later on, the children had presents to open and Lindsay knew that this was right. They did the right thing this year. 

Maybe there were angels after all.


	4. Montana vs the Grinch

Montana vs. The Grinch

When he was a small child, Danny loved Christmas. The rush and excitement of Christmas morning, the sound of wrapping paper being ripped, and the smell of Christmas cookies were some of the happiest memories.

Christmas was on of his favorite holidays till about 2 years ago. He remembers is like it was yesterday. At the time, he was with a woman named Tracy Miller. He did everything for her; took her places, bought her things; the whole-nine yards.

He went home one weekend to his ma and he told her how he felt about Tracy. She told him that she was proud of him and if loved this woman like he said he did he would make it right by marrying her. He took his mother's advice seriously.

Every time there was overtime; he took it. He took every opportunity to make money so that she would have the best engagement ring ever. 

He had everything planned; from the reservation in the Rainbow Room to the violinist at the table. It was Christmas eve and everything was perfect.

They had begun to eat and he pulled out the ring and got on one knee and rehearsed the lines that he memorized. She looked at him and told to him, NO.

Flat out No.

No explanation, no reason; just no.

His heart was ripped out at that point.

He vowed right there that no woman was going to get to him again.

Since that day, he became a player. Staying with a woman just for the physical attraction but not looking for companionship. No tie-ups, no hassles. It was perfect; this way he couldn't be hurt again. 

Lindsay may be new to the crime lab was she is wise in her feelings for Danny Messer. Her heart skips a beat every time they get close, but she always gets the feeling that he's pulling away from something.

She had heard that he was a player; damn, the whole lab talked about how he was one. But she had a feeling that they were misled a bit. 

Lindsay knew there was a vulnerable spot to Danny Messer and she was determined to find it.

It was early Christmas Eve and Lindsay and Danny were working an early shift. Instead of their scheduled lunch, they were going to grab a bit of breakfast this time. They take their usual booth and both order. Lindsay was cutting into her blueberry pancakes when she noticed Danny staring off into space. She turned around and noticed that he was staring at a petite redhead at the counter and she had a man's arm laced around her waist.

Oh great! Lindsay thought, he's looking at a redhead now.

Danny grabbed his wallet and put down money for the both of them and started to grab his jacket.

"Danny, what's wrong?"

"Lindsay, I have to go." Danny said, getting up from the table. Lindsay rose and went after him. He was halfway down the street by the time that she caught up to him.

She put her hand and he froze; froze like the snowflakes that were falling around them.

"Danny, why did you react that way when you saw that woman?"

"I can't talk about that now."

"Danny, please talk to me? You can count on me."

"Well, the last woman that I could count on broke my heart."

There was a bench up ahead and Lindsay guided Danny to it. After a bit of pleading with him, he finally opened up about what happened that Christmas Eve 2 years ago. 

"That's why I keep pulling away from you Montana. I don't want to be hurt again."

"Danny," Lindsay said, placing her hand on the stubble on his chin "I'm not like her. I have more respect than that."

"Will you forgive me for how I have been acting?"

Lindsay leaned in and placed a feathery kiss on his lips. He closed his eyes and let out a small groan.

She kissed him again and looked into his blue eyes.

"As long as you grinchy self doesn't show up."

He pulled her close to his chest and kissed the top of her head.

"Believe me, he won't".


	5. Christmas Delivery, Messer Style

part 5...

Christmas Delivery, Messer Style

this one is a little out there, but who cares, it's Christmas! 

Lindsay had been having a rough couple of days. She missed her family this time of year. She loved New York, but sometimes, she missed the Montana Christmas that she loved. She smiled as she remembered her fondest memories of holidays past.

She got up early Christmas morning. It was a habit of hers; to get up early, to cut on the Christmas lights and cut on Christmas CD's. It was a little bit depressing; getting up early by herself, but she didn't care. She loved it.

Lighting the fireplace, she went and sat down on the couch. She was thinking about Danny. He was the reason that she loved New York so much. He was a little rough around the edges, but under that tough, cocky exterior was a man of gold, a man with a soft side.

She was worried about where he was. He called in Christmas Eve, and it worried her. She called his cell phone but only got his voice mail. He always had his phone on.

Lindsay curled up with a blanket and smiled. Last week, he told her he loved her. Her heart skipped a beat when he told her that. He told her that he never told any woman that. Then he kissed her and she nearly fell over, Damn, he was a good kisser! Nobody in Montana kissed like that. 

She had actually started to fall asleep when her doorbell rang. Her cop instincts told her to grab for her gun next to the couch. Grabbing the gun, she proceeded to the front door. 

"Delivery!"

Delivery, Lindsay thought, who could it be from. She already had a present from everybody she knew, even Danny.

Looking through the peephole, she confirmed that it was the UPS driver. He looked a bit haggard and the scowl on his face confirmed that he didn't want to be here delivering on Christmas morning.

She opened the door and the noticed it was a rather large box. It had slits at the top of the box; a bit different.

"Sign here please."

She signed the clipboard and he pushed the package into her apartment with his hand truck. She closed the door and gave the box another glance over.

Grabbing the scissors next to the front door, she slowly started to open the box. As she was doing this; the box started to shake. It started to rock back and forth, back and forth. That gun was looking pretty good at this point.

She then saw an arm, and a leg; a bare leg. And to her surprise it was a man.

A familiar man.

It was Danny.

Wearing a bow, and nothing else.

His Pecs were amazing; his biceps bulging and other parts of his body were nice; very nice indeed. 

"Surprise!"

"Danny, what are you doing?'

"I wanted to get you something special this time of year, Montana. You mean the world to me, and I had to this for you."

She moved in closer and placed her warm hand on his waist, while one trailed across his chest.

"How did you pull this off?"

Danny smirked. "I pulled some strings to have this happen. It's all for you."

Lindsay bit her lip and looked into his deep blue eyes.

"I love this present. The best part of Christmas is taking off the bow."


	6. The Best Christmas Present Yet

The Best Christmas Present Yet

After a grueling day at the lab, Danny and Lindsay took a load off their feet and were resting on the couch in the break room. Danny was sitting at one end and Lindsay had her shoeless feet in his lap. The topic around the lab was what the crew had received that was their favorite Christmas present. Danny and Lindsay had yet to tell lab what their favorite present was; it was their secret.

Lindsay looked over at Danny who was slowly rubbing her feet to keep them warm. "Danny?"

He caught her attention and smiled, "Yeah."

"What was your favorite Christmas Present?"

His blue eyes gleamed and sparked at the thought of his impending answer.

"I got my favorite Christmas present when I was in the 3rd grade. I had been begging Ma for some GI Joes. Begged for it for about 3 months. She told me no cause' time were tough. And when Christmas morning came, there was a big box. I ripped into it and the whole box was filled with packages of GI Joes."

Lindsay smiled, looking over at him. " I would have loved to see the look on your face. You're gorgeous now, but I think you were adorable when you were 8."

Danny started to blush. "Montana, don't tell, I've got a reputation to uphold."

She threw up her hands in surrender.

He threw back his head and laughed.

"Now it's your turn Montana; fess up."

"I was about 10 years old when I had the best present yet. My dad had lost his job and times were very tough; sometimes we only managed for the essentials. I told my daddy one day that I had a dream of a big tree in the living room decorated with Christmas lights and a train track running along the base of the tree. Presents were under the tree and milk and cookies were waiting for Santa. And did you know that was what I got for Christmas?"

Danny stood up from the cough and pulled Lindsay into an embrace.  
He gently stroked her hair and whispered into her ear: "You deserve the best in life."

It was Christmas and Lindsay had to pull an all-nighter. It's amazing how many murders occur at this time of the year. She slowly walked up to her door and put her key into the lock.

She flipped on her light and gasped.

Her living room was decorated. There was a Christmas tree in her living room and a train track ran underneath the tree. There were the same presents under the tree as well. She also noticed a plate of cookies and milk on the coffee table.

There was a note next to the milk and cookies and all the note said was:

To: Lindsay

From: Santa

You deserve the best in life.

She smiled as tears poured down her cheeks. The note had a familiar handwriting and it belonged to Danny Messer.

She had the best in life.


	7. Homemade Soup for the Christmas Soul

part 7...

Homemade treats for the Christmas Soul

Danny opened the door to his apartment, drenched. He couldn't believe; he was soaked. He should have listened to everybody by hurrying to collect all the evidence before the rain came. But did he listen? No!

He started to strip off his clothes the minute he came into his apartment. First when his shoes and socks; they were near the front door. Next, that pesky shirt just landed right on the couch. His wife beater ended up near the lamp. Who needs that anyway? Pants and underwear were left down the hallway.

Walking to the hallway, naked and beautiful, he grabbed a towel to take a hot shower. He reached the doorway to the bathroom when he let out a "Achoo."

Crap, he thought, I can't get sick right now. It's 2 days before Christmas and I promised Montana I would treat her to a great Christmas. This is not happening to me now.

Climbing into the shower, he cut on the hot, relaxing water. It would have felt great any other time, but then he was subjected to a series of coughs.

Man, Danny thought, I feel like crap.

After drying off with his towel, he went into his bedroom. He grabbed a pair of boxers, flannel pants and a wife beater, put them on and climbed into bed. He hoped that this was a passing cold.

The next morning he woke up with a pounding headache. His throat hurt and he had the nose sniffles.

Damn, Danny thought to himself. This is not happening to me. It took him 4 tries to get out of bed. 

He grabbed his phone next to his nightstand and called Mac.

"Mac, it's Danny. Listen, yeah, I'm sick. Okay, just take some time off. Okay, I'll do that."

Man! Lindsay is go to very mad at me for letting her down. I can barely get out of bed. He went into the living room and went back to the couch and went back to sleep again.

Lindsay had just arrived at work when Mac came up to her.

"Listen, Lindsay; Danny called in sick today so you'll be teaming up with Sheldon today. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind." Lindsay said as Mac walked away. It was going to be a long day without Danny around. It's 2 days till Christmas and I have to make him feel better. She had a plan. But it would have to wait till after work.

She had 2 more hours to work, but Hawkes sensed her sadness and told her to go ahead and that he would handle it from that point on.

"Thank you, Hawkes," Lindsay said, giving Hawkes a hug. 

Danny had been awake for 3 hours. No matter how much medicine he pumped into him, nothing was working.

A knock at the door drew him out of his trance.

"Danny, it's Lindsay."

"Come on in."

She walked in with a basket in her hand. Walking in, she almost tripped over his pants.

"Messer, did you washing machine throw up?"

"Ha, Ha!"Danny said, but he was interrupted by a series of coughs.

"Poor baby." Lindsay said, stroking his tousled hair.

"I'm sorry I let you down, Linds."

"You didn't let me down."

She put the basket down on his coffee table. Opening the top, she started to unpack a container of homemade vegetable soup, crackers, and some chocolate-chip cookies.

"Is all this for me?

Lindsay said, opening the soup and pouring it into a bowl. She grabbed a blanket that was on the armrest and placed it on his lap.  
She stood up and kissed the top of his head.

He looked up at her and gave her a small smile.

"Danny, I don't want you to think about anything else. I have found that soup works better than any pill and it's good for your heart."

"My heart?"

"Soup is a healer of hearts. You are sick so I give you homemade soup; I made with all of my heart and soul. You are a part of my soul."

She told him that she loved him and let him relax as she left him to his meal.

Maybe mamma was right; the best way to man's soul is through his stomach.


	8. Snow Angels in Central Park

It was a slow day at the lab. Many people had gone home early and there was only a skeleton crew working tonight. Danny and Lindsay was one of the lucky few that had to work.

Lindsay was bored and that is rare for her; she always had something to do. She was sitting at her desk waiting for Danny to get the results of the blue fibers they found at the crime scene.

Danny had come around the corner and caught a glimpse of Lindsay at her desk. He couldn't help but smile. If boredom was a reward, she would have easily won first place. It was adorable; the way that she wrinkled her nose when she sighed; who wouldn't love that.

She sat straight up in her chair when Danny came into the room. Time, she sighed, to get back to work.

"Montana, those blue fibers were nylon. It came from maybe, a blue duffel bag or something."

"Thanks," she smiled as he placed the folder down in front of her. "Danny?"

"What?"

"Let's go take a walk; I'm getting too cooped up in here."

"Sounds like a great idea." Danny said, grabbing both their coats as they headed towards the door. 

They managed to walk as far as Central Park.

"A little walk, huh, Montana?" Danny said, his eyes twinkling.

"I felt cooped up in there, I needed to get out and stretch my legs."

"Well, I with the right kind of company here. I love being around you, Montana. You keep me on my toes. Flack can't keep me on my toes."

"Flack?"

"Yeah, we came out here on a break one time; he talked the whole time; wouldn't shut up?"

All she could do is laugh and smile at Danny. Her teeth started to chatter.

Danny came up to her and put his arm around her waist. "Does this feel better?"

"Mmm, yeah..."

"Since there is all this snow on the ground, I have an idea." Lindsay said, a sly smile crept up on her face.

"What do you have up your sleeve, Montana?"

"Snow angels!"

Danny looked at her, dumbfounded. "Snow angels?"

"Yes, I want to make snow angels."

"Mont..." That was the last thing Danny said before Lindsay pulled him down on the ground.

"Come on Danny; it will make me happy if you do this for me please?"

"Only for you, Montana, only for you."

They both got on their backs and moved their arms at the same time, making the shape of a pair of angels in the snow.

Danny started to get up when he "tripped" over the boots of Lindsay. She climbed on top of him and placed her soft lips on his.

"Well, Montana; that was nice."

She kissed him again, this time his hands reached for her brown curls. She looked at him.

"I love it when I get bored."

An older couple walked arm in arm down the path next to the park. They looked over at Danny and Lindsay and then noticed the angels in the snow.

The man said to his wife: "Remember that was the way that you won me over, Alice."

Alice curled her arm tighter around his arm, "It sure was."


	9. The Watcher of the Christmas Tree

The Watcher of the Christmas Tree

Their first Christmas together was turning out to be one of the most memorable that she had ever experienced. Danny was happy, she was happy; everything was perfect.

Danny proposed to her over and year and a half ago. It was a day that she would never forget. He had taken her on a trip to the Bahamas and got on one knee and proposed to her down on the beach.

Their wedding was magical. She always had a vision of her wedding day, filled with light cream color and pale rose colors draped all over the church. The whole gang was there, even Stella's and Mac's little girl Bianca. She was their flower girl and Flack's boy Cody was the ring bearer. She couldn't have asked for a better day.

She knew that this Christmas would be magical and special. She could feel it. She thought about all this as she put tinsel on the Christmas tree. They didn't have much to decorate with this first Christmas but they knew that over time, the material things would gather.

Placing the last present under the tree, she took a look back at the tree and knew something was missing. She couldn't believe it! They didn't have an angel upon the tree. How could they forget that?

That just wasn't acceptable so she gathered her purse and proceeded to head for the door when Danny walked at the same time that she was leaving.

He bent down and placed a light kiss on her lips.

"Where are you going?"

"I have got to go get an angel for the top of the tree. You can't have a tree without an angel. It's just not natural." Lindsay replied.

She then noticed that he had a package in his hands.

"I went down to the post office and they told me that you had a package." Danny said.

"A package?"

"Yeah, it's from your parents in Montana."

She got the package from Danny and walked back into the apartment. Heading for the kitchen, she placed the package on the counter. Grabbing a pair of scissors, she put through the heavy-duty tape. She opened up the box and saw that there was another box too.

Danny looked on as she opened the inner box. Wrapped up in silver tissue paper, was an angel. There was a letter also in the box.

Danny grabbed the note as Lindsay held onto the angel, admiring its beauty and grace.

The note read:

_Lindsay and Danny,_

This was the first angel that I and your father had when we first got married. It's presence in the house gave us luck and a happy life. We have sent this angel to you so that you will experience the same happiness that life can bring to you.

We love you both very much,

Momma and Daddy Monroe

She held the note close to her heart. Danny closed his arms around her and held her tight.

No words were spoken, not a sound was heard. All thoughts were on the angel that made them whole.


	10. Silver Bell Revelation

This drabble has parts of "Silent Night" added in here and in this drabble Lindsay's not pregnant

part 10...

Silver Bell Revelations

The snow had picked up as he was heading back to the lab. The visibility was decreasing as he pulled out on to the busy streets of New York.

Letting a group of people pass in front of him, Danny watched them pass by. A familiar brunette was trailing behind, almost in a daze. She seemed like she was in her own world and not aware of the sights and sounds around her. Danny looked closer and noticed that it was Lindsay.

He quickly pulled over and released the seat belt. Shutting the door, he ran up to catch up to her.

"Montana!"

Lindsay shielded her face, trying to hide her bloodshot eyes, and the flushed pink color that crept upon her cheeks. She didn't want him to see her like this; all upset. She has tried very long to hide what happened to her in Montana and she was unraveling. She didn't want to seem weak in front of Danny. He made her strong.

"Danny, leave me alone!"

"Lindsay, I'm not going to leave you alone on this one. Something's wrong; please open up to me?" The pleading in his eyes spoke a thousand words.

She gave in. "Okay, Danny; let's go and talk."

There was the sound of bells ringing and they looked down the street and noticed the sign for the New York Bell Choir. They entered the church and sat in the very back pew so they could not be disturbed but could use the chimes of the bells as a distraction.

"Lindsay, I heard that you were upset today." Danny said. Lindsay started to interrupt, but Danny placed his finger over her delicate lips, silencing her.

"I wished Stella hadn't said anything." Lindsay said, looking down at her lap.

"She didn't," Danny said, lifting her chin so that she would look at him. "I could see it in your eyes."

"Oh. I'm going to tell you what happened and I'll try to be strong for you. I was 18 years old and preparing for the admission to Montana State in the fall. I and a couple of friends decided to get together around Christmas time so we can exchange gifts before we left for college. There was about fifteen of us in my house that night; my parents were gone for the evening. We had been enjoying our evening when a man with a couple of guns burst in the house. The next thing I knew, this man was gunning down all of my friends. Many of my friends tried to hide, but this man found them. I knew he was still in the house and I managed to hide in the pantry in the kitchen. I stayed their until the police came." She finished, her voice quivered.

"Linds." Danny said, stroking her hair gently.

"I could never understand why I lived and the others died. Why was I saved I always asked myself. I had talked to my mom later on, and I told her that when I was in the pantry, I kept hearing bells, even though we had no bells put in the house. My mom, fearing for my sanity, I guess, put me in touch with her friend, who happened to be spiritual advisors. I asked her why I heard the bells when we had none in the house."

"What did she say?" Danny said, scooting closer to Lindsay.

"She had told me that the sound of bells meant that the angels were coming to take people to Heaven. And that was the reason I heard the bells."

Danny pressed a kiss to her head before continuing on. "Is this why you chose this church, because of the bells?"

"Yes," Lindsay said, her voice shaking again. "I knew that I would feel safe in here."

Danny looked down at his lap. It was Lindsay's turn to look at him. "I'm the upset one here," she smiled. "Why are you so glum?"

"Sometimes, when I worry about you and when I wonder how you are, I even hear bells."

Lindsay scooted over to him and placed a kiss on his lips.

"The silver bells tell all."


	11. The Christmas Present of the Future

The Christmas Present of the Future

Lindsay put the last wrapped present under the Christmas tree. She put a lot of effort into this gift and it was one that Danny would not be expecting.

She had discovered that Danny was hard to shop for. He was the pickiest man. She learned the hard way when she tried to by him a Yankees shirt one time. Even with that insignicant habit, she loved him to death.

She had something to tell him. This bit of news could change the way that they felt about each other. She didn't know how he was going to respond to what she had to tell him. Danny was a very understanding man so she hoped that he would not end the relationship with her.

Nobody in her family had ever had this issue. Everybody had always taken care of their own business, and nobody from the outside ever got involved.

She sighed and went over to the couch and sat down. Christmas was tomorrow and she would have to tell him the truth.

* * *

On Christmas morning, it was just the both of them. The whole gang was involved with their own families and that was really for the best. Danny handed Lindsay her presents. She grinned when she unwrapped the big box and clapped when Danny got her that pair of boots that she had been eyeing for 2 months. The second present was a gold necklace that was a surprise for her. 

She reached behind her and gave him a rectangular Christmas present. He ripped into the package like a child and let out a yell as he reached in and retrieved the leather jacket that he really did want. He reached for the present that was the closest to him. He started to attack the present when Lindsay placed her hand on his arm.

"Danny wait!"

Danny looked up, surprised.

She reached under the present that was for Stella and retrieved the present that she had wrapped the night before.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Looking into Danny deep baby blues, she faced him.

"I hope you like this present. I know how you are the pickiest man that I have ever met, but I hope this is what you wanted. You can't return this present."

He opened the box and noticed the items. He looked into her eyes and smiled. His eyes shed tears as he looked down at his present.

A baby rattle and a pregnancy test was in the package.

It was the Christmas present of the future.

And the future was looking bright.


	12. Who Drank the Eggnog?

Lindsay kicked off her shoes as soon as she got into Danny's apartment. He was kind enough to let her stay there while they were painting her apartment.

Mac had Danny pulling a double shift tonight. She had volunteered to work also but both Mac and Danny told her to go ahead and get some rest. She took them up on that offer.

She went into the kitchen and reached for a glass in the cupboard for something to drink. Danny had gone to the store earlier that morning and stocked up on some drinks and snacks. She reached for a coke but 2 drink containers caught her eyes.

She opened both of the containers and discovered that it was eggnog. She loved eggnog. Lindsay smiled as she thought of her earliest memories of the thick, sweet, nutmeg-flavored concoction. She remembered Uncle Freddie setting his eggnog down on the counter when she was 3 years old. It was the spiked version of the eggnog. She got a hold of it and drank it down. 30 minutes later, she was falling down and hiccupping. Her mother went into a panic, but with a call to Poison Control she learned that Lindsay was a bit tipsy, but nothing more.

The containers weren't labeled as which one was spiked but Lindsay didn't care. She just wanted eggnog. She poured herself a big glass and went into the living room.

Danny came home early from his shift. What was going to be a double shift ended up being a single shift because his replacement came in after all.

He thought that Lindsay was in bed but then he heard the hiccups in the kitchen. Opening the kitchen door, he saw Lindsay drinking some of his eggnog. He only noticed one container on the counter, but the container was almost full when he left for work and now the container was almost to the bottom.

"Lindsay, baby, were you thirsty?"

She hiccupped before stumbling over to him, placing her hands on his chest.

"You know, you need to buy more of this!"

"I think you had enough tonight."

He kissed the top of head and reached over to the counter and put the container and the glass in the sink. He guided her over to the kitchen table so he could clean up the little mess that she left.

"Did you drink the other container?"

She didn't respond to his question. He looked over at the kitchen table and found Lindsay sleeping at the table, with her head down. He went to kiss her head and all of a sudden, she let out a big snore. He chuckled, kissed her head, picked her up and carried to bed.


	13. Light a Candle for Me Cowboy

Spoilers for episode 14 so if you don't want to be spoiled, don' t read

But I would like you too!

Light a Christmas Candle for me Cowboy

As much as she loved Montana, she hated to go back there. The reminders of the past; the heartache and the sorrow that drove her from Montana and to New York were opened up like an open wound. The District Attorney of the State of Montana had gotten in touch with her and had her subpoenaed to testify.

She had known about this for a good 6 months and she knew that she would have to go away for awhile. She had tried to avoid human contact as possible because she didn't want to say goodbye and the thought of that make the tears well up again.

Then it all changed when she volunteered to be the decoy in Mos Ghedi's arrest. She let her guard down when Danny embraced her after the raid. His warmth and his presence radiated throughout her body and she knew at that point, that she had succumbed to the temptations of Danny.

As much as this hurt her, she had to resist, She built a wall around her heart, determined to not let Danny in yet. During the case with the Ice Queen, she avoided him at every twist and turn and when he asked her out; she stood him up. It was never intentional; she didn't want to break his heart. At that point in time, she could not give her heart fully until she went to Montana to take care of some issues.

* * *

Danny knew that something had been bothering Lindsay for awhile. He just wished that she would just open up to him and tell him what's wrong. On a few occasions, she faltered but then she regained composure and silenced.

So it was a surprise when he walked into the office he shared with her and noticed the letter set up next to the keyboard. The envelope only said one word: Danny.

He went into the locker room and sat down on the bench to read the letter. He felt like he was choking as he read the note in his mind.

_Danny, _

I never meant to hurt you. You mean the world to me and there are some

things I have to take care of before I can be complete with you. There

have been some things in my past that are interfering with my future

and I have to go home for a while to take care of this. Please talk to

Mac and he will be able to tell you what happened to me. I could not

bear to tell you in fear of being rejected.

Please wait for me Danny.

Cause I will wait for you.

All my love,

Lindsay

He read the note, and put his head in his lap and wondering what to do next.

Danny went to Macs office and wanted to know the truth. After a bit of hesitation, Mac told him the whole story. He discovered that Lindsay was the only survivor of a brutal massacre in Bozeman when she was a teenager and up till recently, she thought the past was behind her. Mac told him that the District Attorney had contacted her and she had been forced to go and testify in Montana.

Damn, he thought, that's why she could be with me yet. I have to find a way to change her mind about me.

After work he went to his family's church. Busy with parishioners, he went up to the alter and stood in front of the candles and picked up a wick and let 2 candles for Lindsay. One , for her same return and the other for hope that they will be together.

* * *

One month later-Christmas Day

Lindsay walked off the plane, tired and exhausted. After a long flight, all she wanted to do was go home and relax. It had been hell in Montana with all the inquiries and interviews and at some point it had started to affect her sanity. So she rejoiced in her return to New York.

She reached for her cell phone to call Stella. Stella picked up on the third ring and told her that she was on her way. Lindsay waited at the terminal, sitting down on a bench.

It had been an hour and Stella still hadn't come. She reached for her phone again when someone sat down beside her.

"Lindsay?"

She looked next to her and was face-to-face with the baby blues of Danny. All she could do is run her fingers through his hair. She had to see if he was real.

He held her hand and helped her up from the bench. He gathered her up in his arms and lifted her up in hug.

He looked into her eyes and at that point, both of them knew that she was healed and that it was alright now.

"Merry Christmas, baby."

"Danny, Merry Christmas to you too."

He placed a kiss on her temple. He was going to say something but he hesitated.

"Danny, what is it?"

"I lit candles at the church for you, Montana. I wanted to make sure that you were safe and secure, so I lit them for you."

She looked into his eyes and had a confession to make.

"Danny, I lit candles for you too. One for love and the other for understanding. It looks like my prayers were answered."

He kissed her long and deep and he knew that someone above had listened to the ramblings of a love-struck Italian man.


	14. Edward Scissorhands Has Nothing on Danny

It was time to execute his plan and he would take no prisoners in his quest to win Lindsay's heart.

Step 1: Course of Action

It was Christmas Eve and both of them were off that day. Danny was waiting for Lindsay to come over because he had invited her to watch some DVD's with him. It was his chance to get her to open up to him a little bit better. Lately, she had been shielding her feelings for him and it was apparent to him, that the shield was cracking.

He had gathered the movies that they were going to watch when there was a knock at his door. Getting up from the couch, he walked over to the door and peeked through the peephole. He knew it was Lindsay but he just had to check. You never know what criminals might behind the door. He looked through the peephole again and saw her. She was dressed in a hooded jacket and with her biting the corner of her lip, he was in pure Heaven.

He let her in and embraced her in a hug.

Lindsay smiled as she hugged him back. "Well hello to you too!"

She started to remove her coat but Danny stopped her.

"Danny, what's wrong?"

"Listen, Montana, I've got a better plan for tonight."

"A better plan?" Lindsay asked, puzzled.

"Come on, Montana." Danny said, laughing. "You'll love this one."

Step 2: The Execution

10 minutes later, both of them were occupied in the backseat of a yellow cab. What Lindsay didn't know was that 30 minutes before she arrived at his apartment, he had called the cab to pick them up at precisely 8:00 p.m.

They were sitting comfortably in the backseat, with Danny's arm around her shoulder and Lindsay's hand on his knee. 

Halfway during the ride, Danny lifted his arm from her shoulder and reached in his pocket and fished out a handkerchief. 

Lindsay looked over at Danny wondering what the Hell he was doing.

"What are you doing?"

"I've got a surprise for you, Lands." Danny said, reaching behind her head to tie the knot. She didn't fight him; she trusted him.

Danny looked up at the driver and nodded. The driver turned down a side road and pulled into a parking lot.

Danny handed the driver the money and he helped Lindsay out of the cab.

"Danny, what have you got up your sleeve?"

"I'm just being me, Lands."

"That's what I'm afraid of. " Lindsay said, laughing.

He placed a hand on the small of her back and let her through a white velvet doorway. She felt the soft material sweep across her face and she felt comfortable. This had to be some sort of dream.

Where did he take her?

Danny moved in closer to her, his warm breath tickled her earlobes.

"This is all for you Montana."

He carefully untied the blindfold and let her see what she was supposed to see.

She stared in awe at what she saw. The ceiling had paper snowflakes hanging down, and she felt imitation snow land on her nose, tickling it. She looked in the corner and noticed a table set up for two. The wine glasses were set up and the plates were ready for an enchanted evening.

Then there was the tent.

It was set up in the middle of the room, the flaps closed so she couldn't see in. 

He led her in the tent and she was amazed. There were ice sculptures everywhere.

"Follow the path around, Lindsay and it tells a story."

She saw the tiger ice creation first and she remembered the first time they met. And of course, they had to have a walrus. It was the walrus documentary that brought out Danny's bashful side.

She went around the room noticing that the ice sculptures told a story. She saw the baby doll from the case at the doll hospital. A bug sculpture told the story of the bug dinner that they shared. The maze of ice creations led all around the room until it ended right at the table.

She stood in awe at Danny. He was the most considerate man that she ever met. Under the tough exterior was a man of a good heart and soul.

How could she push him away?

She moved in closer to him, closing in on the space between them. She circled her arms around his neck and placed a tender kiss on his lips.

"Thank you."


	15. The Christmas Carousel

The Christmas Carousel

Lindsay sighed, and tried to fight her way past the hordes of people who also decided to shop at the last minute like she did. She had to find the perfect gift for Stella; matter of fact, she had to find a perfect gift for everybody, especially Danny. His package was already under the tree, so he couldn't even try to peek. He has been known to on many occasions to rip a corner or two to see what she had gotten him.

She had exhausted all efforts to shopping and was going to call it quits when a collectible across the street caught her attention. She ran across the street and went into the entrance of _Sarah's Nik and Nak Collectibles._

Entering the busy shop, she was immediately greeted by Carly, an associate.

"May I help you?"

"You can," Lindsay said "I have to pick out a present for a co-worker and I have no idea what to get her. Do you have any ideas?"

"Does your friend like jewelry?"

"I believe so." Lindsay said.

Carly led her over to a display of silver earrings and bracelets.

"Thank you." Lindsay said as Carly left to help other customers.

Stella would love this bracelet, Lindsay thought. She was heading towards the register when the whimsical sound of music caught the attention of her ears.

Turning, she saw the carousel. It was ornate with the beautiful carvings of horses, and other heavenly creatures. It shimmered like nothing she had ever seen and it brought back memories of the past.

_Flashback_

The Montana State Fair had come to town and Lindsay was very excited. It was the only time of the year when the carousel came to town. When she was younger her family didn't have a lot of money so her mother gave them a couple of dollars to ride any ride in the fair. She never wanted to ride anything else; her only attention was to the carousel in the fair. Her mother always asked if she wanted to ride anything else but she always shook her head no.

After her mother tucked her in bed that night, Lindsay got out of bed and went to the bedroom window. The sound of crickets echoed in the twilight. She stood at the window and looked up at the Heavens and prayed that if it was possible to have a carousel and that someone would deliver it to her and make her very happy. She wished with all her might.

"Ma'am, Ma'am?"

Lindsay was brought back to reality when the clerk called out to her to ring up her bracelet. She paid for the bracelet and left the store.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Danny had gone in early to work and that meant that Lindsay could get a couple winks of sleep. Her alarm went off and she sat straight up in bed. I didn't set that alarm, she thought as she stepped on the carpeted floor.

She saw a note on the nightstand and it read: 

_Follow the candy canes_.

She looked down and there was a trail of candy canes leading to the bathroom. She smiled when she saw the robe, scented soaps and oils waiting for her. She shut the door and relaxed in the warmth of the bath.

40 minutes later, she dressed in the new clothes that were left in the bathroom. She opened the door and a new set of candy canes lead her to the front door of the apartment.

She just kept following the trail until it lead to a horse-drawn carriage. The driver said nothing as he knew his destination.

He stopped the cart in front of a park and she stepped down and saw more candy canes. The candy canes led her further into the park until she saw what she had always dreamed about.

It was the carousel.

She walked up to the railing of the carousel and reached her hand out to one of the horses. She was so attuned to the carousel she didn't see someone walk up beside her.

"Do you like this?"

She looked over and saw that Danny was next to her. He took her in his arms and embraced her tightly.

"I love it, Danny!"

"How'd ya like the candy canes?"

"That was very sweet."

He held onto her hand and led her to the carriage spot on the carousel. Sitting her down, he rubbed the back of her hands with his fingers.

"When I was younger, I had a dream, Montana. It was a dream about a girl who loved a carousel. I couldn't see her face and I didn't know her name, but I knew that I would love her. I have been having this dream more frequently now than ever. The last time I had it, I saw your face and your brown eyes and I knew that you were that girl."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. He opened it up to reveal a one-caret princess cut ring in white gold. Getting down on one knee, he opened his heart and soul to her.

"Lindsay, would you give me the pleasure of becoming my wife?"

"Yes! Yes!" Lindsay said, grinning.

He gathered her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

The carousel is the symbol of life. It goes around and around and when it stops you have to just take a chance.


	16. The Christmas Chest of Memories

The Christmas Chest of Memories

It was Christmas day and Alexandra Conner begged her mother if she could go up in the attic of the three-bedroom home that they had just recently purchased. Her mother said no, but changed her mind when she saw how determined the ten-year-old could be. "Go," her mother said, giving her daughter a look of warning to be careful.

Alexandra read the look in her mother's eyes. "Momma", I'll be alright."  
She scurried up the steps, careful to not trip and fall. Opening the door with a creak, she looked around at all the items that were there for storage.

Cardboard boxes were piled around the room, full of holes because of the moths and clothes on racks tattered and torn. Nothing of that was of any interest to Alexandra. She was in search of one thing, the Christmas chest.

When they moved in this house, the real estate lady handed Alexandra this very old key. The realtor told Alexandra that this key was given to her from Alexandra's grandmother before she died. The realtor and her grandmother were friends and she always wanted her granddaughter to have this very special key.

She found the dust and cobweb-covered chest hidden in the counter. Alexandra grunted while pulling the chest onto a rug that was covering the attic floor. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved the key that was a ribbon, a pink ribbon.

She cautiously reached in the chest, praying that a bug or other sorts of creatures were not in there, ready to jump out. When she saw that there were not any, she reached further into the chest and gathered all the contents inside.

Alexandra sat cross-legged as she placed all the items in front of her. A map of the United States caught her eye. Why is there a map of the United States in there? We still have fifty states? But after looking closer, she noticed that the state of Montana was circled. Who went there?, Alexandra thought puzzled.

She picked up next the program to the _Phantom of the Opera_. Alexandra always loved plays and was very active at school in them. She turned the program over and saw the words: December 13, 2006 written on the back of the program. What does this mean? Why is this in here?

She saw that there were letters also that were in the chest. She opened one of the yellow faded letters and began to read:

_I enjoyed my dinner today. I have never had that much fun eating_

bugs in my whole life. You are a pure romantic and don't ever let 

anybody tell you any different.

All my love,

Lindsay

Alexandra was getting really frustrated. She was told by her mother that there was some sort of treasure hidden in this chest. She put everything back into the chest, locked it up and went back downstairs.

Her mother was putting away all the trash from the wrapping paper when her daughter stomped into the kitchen.

"Alexandra Grace Conner, stop that!" Her mother scolded her.

" I thought that there was some treasure in that chest, not a bunch of papers."

"Honey", her mother said "Those are the treasures I was talking about."

"I don't understand." Alexandra said, sitting down at the kitchen table.

Her mother held her small hand as she began to speak. "Honey, sometimes a treasure is not measured in gold. Those letters and items are from the past. They contain your heritage. Sometimes the past can change how your future is."

"Momma, but I don't understand. Who are Danny and Lindsay?"

"They are your grandparents and they loved you very much."

"How come I never got to meet them?'

"They died on Christmas day in a car accident to meet you when you born."

"Is it my fault?"

Her mother looked puzzled.

"Your fault?"

"Did I kill my grandparents?"

Her mother gave her a kiss on the head. "No honey, you didn't; it was their time to go. Honey, they had this key on them when they were coming to see you. They wanted you to see what is in the chest. They wanted you to know them."

Alexandra hugged her mother back. And even though she was young, she knew that the chest was meant to be unlocked.

And for the memories of her grandparents that would never be forgotten.


	17. An Invitation in my Name

An Invitation In My Name

It had been a tough year for Lindsay. She transferred in from Montana and was having a hard time fitting in. It was not because she was new; it was because she was not Aiden Burns.

Aiden had grown up in the ranks of the NYPD. She worked hard to achieve her ultimate goal of becoming a Crime Scene Investigator. She had many friends, one of which was Danny Messer. Danny was like a brother to her and he treated her as such. They had never had any romantic feelings for each other. Never.

Before Lindsay had arrived, Aiden had begun to let her work take control of her. It consumed her and eventually led to her demise as a well respected CSI. She was fired when she tampered evidence and that was when she got the call from Mac.

Everybody had welcomed her to the team, but she could tell that not everybody was on the same page. Danny was not too fond of her being there. From what she heard, he didn't like that Aiden was gone and that Lindsay was considered an outsider. He was never mean to her but he teased her and if he called her "Montana" one more time, she was going to hurt him.

It was very frustrating because she knew that she was a good CSI and she was very open to people. The lab crew made it very apparent that she was going to have to truly prove herself to "fit" in. She did things like cutting the meat of the beef slab and many other things to show that she was serious about her job.

She had been there 3 months when the talk of the holiday season started. The lab was abuzz on the festivities and even though she was part of the lab, she never felt that she "belonged" there.

And what was worse, Danny had gone from annoying to teasing. He still kept calling her "Montana". She couldn't figure out why he called her that. Did he call Aiden "Brooklyn"? He had started to actually grow on her, with that cocky grin and that heavy Staten Island accent. It was addicting.

It was 2 weeks till Christmas and there was the talk of the Christmas Parties. The biggest one was the one that Danny always threw. People were walking around all week with one, but Lindsay never got one. Normally this doesn't upset her, but when the majority of the lab got an invitation and the one person that he worked with didn't get one, it got to her.

Lindsay was gathering her things that night and Stella stopped by her office to drop off a file.

"Well, Lindsay, I guess I'll set you at Danny's party tomorrow night?"

"I didn't get an invitation, Stella."

Stella looked puzzled."That's odd, Lindsay, Danny gave one to everybody."

Lindsay looked down at the ground. "Not me."

"Well maybe he hasn't given it to you yet. Danny's a bit unpredictable. You'll get one."

I doubt it, Lindsay thought as Stella walked away, her heels clicking in the distance.

* * *

Danny was in the trace lab when Stella came up to him. "Hey, Stella".

Stella put her hands on her hips and stared him down.

"What?"

"Did you give Lindsay an invitation to your party?"

"Well, I..."

"Damn, Danny she's your partner! She deserves an invitation to your party. Would you have done that if Aiden was here? I happen to like her Danny and if you don't give her an invitation I'm going to..."

"Stell! I've got it covered. She's invited. Stella, I have to confess to you. I'm in love with her; I can't help myself. I've never been in love before. I'm going to give her an entrance to this party that she has rightly deserved."

* * *

Lindsay was off the next day and she was lounging around the apartment. She wasn't going anywhere so she was dressed in a sweater and a pair of jeans.

She was about to get a glass of wine when the doorbell rang. She opened the door and the doorman who should have been downstairs was at her doorway.

"You have a right waiting for you. You must go with me."

"Okay," Lindsay said, wearily. Okay, Lindsay thought if this guy pulls anything funny, he's going to regret it.

They reached the front doors of the apartment building and there was a limo waiting for her.

The doorman opened the door for her. "Your ride, Miss Monroe."

She stepped in and the limo took off. She didn't have a clue where they were going until the limo pulled up at Danny's doorstep.

The doorman led her up the stairs and knocked on the door. He turned and walked away as the door opened and Danny was right in front of her.

"Hey," Danny said, giving her a smile. "I've been waiting for you."

He led her by the hand and around all the people gathered around. The noise and music were a distraction to what he was going to do for her.

He led her into the extra bedroom and motioned for her to set on the bed.

"I'm sorry for not giving you an invitation. I wanted to show you how I felt in a different way. I hope you're not mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you Danny. I actually like how you went out of your way to show me how you feel"

"Can I kiss you, Miss Monroe?"

"Yes."

He chuckled, as he ran his fingers in her curls and caressed her face. He kissed her soft lips and then deepened the kiss.

She ran her hand over the stubble on his chin and increased the kiss.

What she discovered that night, is that some things in life are best when not written down.


	18. The Christmas Visitor

guys, just follow me on this one

* * *

The Christmas Visitor

All she wanted to do was sleep. After working for 3 days straight without a break had begun to take a toll on Lindsay. The team had been working an extremely difficult case that involved everyone's help and finally they wrapped the case up.

She stripped off her clothes and put on her favorite nightgown. She climbed into bed and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Lindsay had been involved in a dream when she "felt" a tap on her shoulder. She sat straight up and did not see anything. Reaching for her gun next to the nightstand, she had her hand on the pistol when she heard a child's giggle.

She got out of bed cautiously. The giggling continued until she headed towards the living room. She did not see a child, but something did catch her eye. The rocking chair in the corner of the room began to rock. Lindsay edged closer to the chair when she saw the form of a petite little girl sitting in the chair.

Lindsay got a good look at the little girl and realized something:

This little girl was her at the age of 6.

Okay, Lindsay thought, maybe I am making this up. There can't be a child that looks like me sitting in my living room.

"I'm not make-believe." Little Lindsay said, giggling.

"Okay, Okay," Lindsay said, giving her full attention to the girl in the chair.

"I'm your inner child. Grandma sent me to you."

Grandma, Lindsay thought. Grandma has been dead for 10 years.

"Grandma sent you?"

"I know it sounds funny," Little Lindsay said, "But she said that you are not happy."

"I'm happy." Lindsay said.

"Grandma said that you have a hole in your heart and that you love someone very much but she says that you are afraid."

"I don't love anybody."

"Yes you do." Little Lindsay said smiling and swinging her legs in unison.

"I pushed him away; I don' think he would want to be near me now."

Little Lindsay got up from the rocking chair and went over to Lindsay and held her hand.

"He loves you and wants to be a part of your life. Open up to him."

* * *

Danny had been trying to sleep but he was having trouble. Tossing and turning, all he could think about is Lindsay.

He yearned for her touch and the smell of her perfume. He could hear her voice like she was here.

But he was not imaging her voice; He actually heard her voice and it was coming from his apartment door. He got out of bed and put on his sweatpants and headed for his door. He opened it and Lindsay was there. Little Lindsay was with Lindsay but he could not see the young girl.

"Montana, are you alright?"

She got closer to him and ran her small hand along the jawline of his stubbled face. He let out a small moan as she kissed him deeply.

"I am now."

And out of the corner of her eye, Little Lindsay disappeared and Lindsay knew this is what she needed to do.

Thanks Grandma.


	19. The Christmas Locket

this is the last one guys!

part 18

The Christmas Locket

The locket had been in Danny's family for generations. The emerald heart setting in the center illuminated in the sunlight and the gold sparkled endlessly. He had been waiting for the right moment to give this to her, but he could never find the right time.

His mother had told him a long time ago that there was a special meaning to the locket. She revealed this information one day when he came over to visit her 2 months ago. Over cannolis and coffee, she spun the tale of Andrea Rosetti, his great-great-grandmother. She had been a simple woman, and did not possess many things.

At the time she was working as a maid in the house of Charles Messer, an Italian immigrant who became successful in the textile business. It was a forbidden affair with her being a maid in his house and Charles being her employer.

Their love for each other was so intense that they were to be married. However, in the times, it was looked down upon to partake in the marriage of a wealthy man and his hired help. With the help of the local priest, they married in secrecy and hid their love for each other. The community thought he never married and they never knew that Charles and Andrea were secretly wed.

He gave her a special gift on the eve of their wedding night. He presented a velvet box and when she opened it she saw the locket. She wept and he swept the tears off her face with the back of her hand. He promised that he would be hers forever and nothing would tear them apart.

Eventually, the community found out when Andrea was not seen around the house and when a howling of a newborn child was heard from a visitor. When the community found out about the relationship between Charles and Andrea, they were shunned for many years.

Even after all this, the love of the Messers conquered all. When Andrea was on her deathbed, she held the locket out to her son, William and told him of the story of how the locket came to her. He promised his mother that he would give the locket to the woman he was going to marry on her wedding day. She grasped his hand, gave a light squeeze and the life was gone from her eyes forever.

* * *

The church was prepared and everything had come into place. Lindsay was getting ready for her wedding when she noticed a velvet box sitting on the mirrored table in the bedroom of Stella's. The note that was next to it said _Lindsay_

The note read:

_Lindsay, _

My love, my baby girl.

This is your day and I plan to make it special for you.

Look inside the box and you will see.

Everything that you are and what you can be

Always has a way of completing me.

So please wear this locket on this Christmas night,

And make me the luckiest man on earth.

Because the love we have is pure and right,

The owner of this locket has a heart of gold

And special in many ways.

My heart on this day is sold

To the woman on her wedding day.

All my love,

Danny Messer

She read the note and reached in box and held the necklace in her hands. The emerald hit the light and a green glow sent prisms of light streaming through the room.

One lone tear hit the note and she knew.

That the locket was her gateway to the love that Danny had for her.

And that it was right.

Finished


End file.
